


A little bit of time

by Chiisanafukuro (makuro)



Series: A little bit of love [2]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alien Biology, Keith Gets Around Wink Wink, Kid Fic, Kunnia AU from Cocky, M/M, Post S8, friend to lovers, stupid boys in love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-05
Updated: 2020-01-05
Packaged: 2021-02-24 17:54:13
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,179
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22122034
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/makuro/pseuds/Chiisanafukuro
Summary: Keith tries to forget Shiro. Ends up having a kid who takes up most of his time. It almost works.Kinda of.Not at all.
Relationships: Keith/Shiro (Voltron), keith/oc, past shiro/curtis
Series: A little bit of love [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1592350
Comments: 27
Kudos: 182





	A little bit of time

**Author's Note:**

> A continuation of that Kunnia AU, where Keith is an epic space slut for a few years before settling down with a kid. Unbetaed because impatient. The typos can live. 
> 
> Based on [this](https://twitter.com/diococky/status/1178948258657427456) and [this](https://twitter.com/diococky/status/1179366284779278336) adorable AU that Cocky drew!

“And you’re sure you’re good man?”

Keith looked up at Lance, tried, and failed, to not stare at the Altean marks seared there by Allura. The ones that glowed when she was near, their bright happy ending. “Yeah,” he said and turned back to his pack. “I can’t stay, it’ll just drag this whole thing out.” He hefted the pack up over his shoulder. “It’s time.”

“The reception isn’t even over,” Lance protested. “I _just_ pulled you up off the floor—Keith!” He reached out and grabbed Keith’s arm. “I know you’re hurting, _I know_ , but leaving like this is a mistake.”

“And what am I supposed to do?” Keith snarled. “I can’t keep it up anymore. You—you _saw_ me a an hour ago. If I go back out there I’m going to break down, again, and I…” The juddering feeling crawled up again, threatening to overtake him with the well of anguish in his chest. “I’m sorry, Lance.” He broke the hold Lance had on him and ran. The sound of the reception and violins followed him all the way to his ship and even out into the stars. Deep laughter and twinkling rings. Silver eyes keen and warm on another. For a moment he thought it would be him, for a blind, wild moment out on a deserted hunk of space rock, in a dim light of a cargo bay, Keith thought it would be _him_.

He pulled into the first space port he could and found the bar.

The first person Keith ever slept with had been Regris. It hadn’t been out of passion or love, or anything really other than bored lust. It had been after the first or second mission together, Regris had pulled him aside and asked, very bluntly, if Keith wanted to fuck. Keith had, blushing furiously, explained that he had zero experience, and Regris had glibly offered to change that. Keith hadn’t seen any immediate reason to say no.

There hadn’t been anyone since those heady, live-or-death days, and even then it had only been a couple of times. Right at the moment all he wanted was a warm body to forget himself in. He’d assumed that finding a partner at a dive bar on a distant moon would be more awkward, given his lack of experience. Keith was quickly proven wrong.

The ex-Imperial lieutenant had taken him back to his room and fucked Keith stupid. When Keith cried out the wrong name, tears edging his eyes, the Galra hadn’t even flinched.

“We love seldom, and we love well,” he’d said, jarringly tender with his cock spitting Keith open. “Galra hearts do not let go easily, and that is not something to feel shame for.” He’d leaned down, loomed more like, the man was _massive_ , and licked a hot stripe up Keith’s neck. “There is also no shame in indulging pleasure. You must care for yourself, if no on else is.”

So Keith had let himself be taken apart by the ex-lieutenant well into the morning, after which they amicably parted ways.

He took what he’d been told and realized the man was right. He didn’t have to kill his love, or bury it somewhere out of shame or pain, but he didn’t _owe_ anything to it either. Shiro had made his choice. And Keith could make his.

He quickly discovered that wether someone knew him or not, he was desirable. Partners called it his beauty, his strength, his mystery, his five million other things that they said drew them to him. Keith wasn’t sure what it was, but he didn’t exactly care either-- he could walk into any bar, any club, and reliably pull if he was looking for a good night. Or two.

At first the partners had been tame—Galra, human, other bipedal species. Then one night a Falvian had sidled up to him and proposed a three way with his Galvax navigator and suddenly all of the tentacle porn Keith had even run into on the internet made _complete_ sense.

“Oh _fuck._ ” He lost track which way was up and down around the third orgasm. All that matter was that he was so, _so_ , full and cradled in strong… limbs. A mouth found his, the Falvian, and Keith lost himself in the sensations.

He’d crawled into a meeting the next day rather late, with sucker marks on his neck. His mother ignored it until they were the only to left after the meeting.

“At least be careful.” She said, punching an address on New Daibazaal into his pad. “You’re getting a reputation, you know.”

Keith flushed and muttered a thank you for the information.

* * *

After a year of some very deep and enlightening exploration Keith settled into what he liked. One partner, a little rough, and minimal talking. Getting fucked or doing the fucking wasn’t a huge deal, just as long as they both got off. He thought that he’d steer clear of people who knew who he was, but he found that within thirty ticks of talking to the person he’d know if they were in it for the fame of him, or _him_. He also discovered that some nights he really didn’t care. As long as they didn’t bring it up every five seconds.

“Just wait until you’re off planet this time, please?” Lance said as he walked Keith back to the hanger. He’d stopped on Altea on his way back from a mission with the Blades at Allura’s insistence. “I don’t want to hear one of our guards going on again about how good the Black Paladin gives it.”

Keith frowned. “I fucked one of your guards?”

“Yes. When you hit up the bars closest to the palace that’s bound to happen dude. Do you even keep track of who you’re dragging to bed?”

This conversation felt distinctly ironic given their youth together. Keith just grinned. “No, not really. Don’t see a lot of repeats either.”

“God you’re a slut,” Lance groaned. “But like, you’re good, right?” Leave it to Lance to turn that keen eye on him, the look that he’d perfected while piloting Red.

Keith nodded and slapped Lance’s back. “Yeah, I’m good. Just having some fun, don’t worry.”

“Always worried about you, mullet,” Lance shot back.

Keith made good on his promise of waiting until he was well away from Altea to find a place to settle for the night. The club lights flashed overhead, casting the sea of bodies in pinks and purples, smoke from some hidden machine rising into the light. A flash of silver caught his eye and he whirred, a flash of hope bursting into his chest—but it was nothing, just a spray of feathers off the back of someone’s outfit.

Keith pursed his lips and knocked back the rest of his nunvill.

* * *

“I thought you said the Blades did humanitarian work now!” Hunk shouted, hauling his canon-blaster up and balancing it on a rock. “This is not humanitarian work, Keith!”

Keith was crouched at Hunk’s feet, trying to unjam his blaster. “Look, sometimes people get territorial! Sometimes some idiot wants to try playing warlord, okay! We just—ah _fuck_.” The piece he needed slipped out of his hand and got lost in the dirt. “We just fucking deal with it. Cover me!” He pulled his blades out—twins, forged by his own hand—and launched himself from the hiding place.

“Keith!”

The battle was shorter than he thought it would be. Apparently they had a lot of big guns with little ammo and once they were out the show of force was more like cowering kids with their hands caught in a cookie jar. Keith let his Blades take care of carting the would-be-lords off for a tribunal while he got down to the real reason he and Hunk were here. The planet was a fertile one, but left to lie fallow for a long time during the Galra occupation. The Turqan people needed to figure out how best to farm for the area, and if they could turn surplus into revenue for the moon. Hunk got right to business, talking supply chains and which native plants were in demand out in the wider universe. Keith let him, overseeing it all from afar.

A tall figure came to stand by him. “Thank you, Commander.”

Keith looked up to see one of the half Galra Turqan standing by him, long face turned down to Keith, turquoise skin still flushed from battle. He was long and lithe.

“Anytime,” Keith said. “You’re…?”

“Kalxi,” the Turqan said. “I’ve been the one communicating with Acxa. It’s an honor to meet you in person, sir.” Turqan were a little birdlike, with long faces and noses, but the Galra in Kalxi rounded him out, with large, expressive ears and a bulk that pure Turqan didn’t have.

“An honor to fight by you, Kalxi,” Keith said. If there was more purr to the statement than formality, he couldn’t be blamed.

“When all of this is done, could I get you a drink?” Kalxi cleared his throat. “In thanks, that is. If it’s not to forward, Sir.”

“Not at all,” Keith said, heat already pooling in his gut. “And it’s Keith, please.”

Keith rarely went back for seconds, but Kalxi was a very, _very_ , talented lover. With their stint on Tal’qan taking a few movements it was hard not to keep going back. It was clear there wasn’t much there but a good, physical time, but Kalxi was also decent company. Keith didn’t mind the lingering conversations with him, or that they would inevitably rise from rather epic fucking to go out and work together. When the mission was wrapped Keith made sure to show Kalxi just how much he’d appreciated his company.

“Oh, _stars_ , how long—unff—how long can you _do_ that?”

Keith looked up from Kalxi’s dripping cunt, smile wet with it. “Was planning to all night, if you let me.”

“I’d rather ride that cock one more time too if it’s all the same to— _ah quiznack!_ ”

Keith chuckled and got back to work taking Kalxi apart piece by piece well into the dawn.

They parted the next morning with quick kiss and a promise to reach out if they were in each others orbit and available for a good time. Keith didn’t think it would happen, but if it did he wasn’t going to say no either.

He got into his ship with his Blades and started up the take off sequence.

“Not brining the new boy toy, boss?” Zethrid called.

“Nah,” Keith shrugged. “Just a one time stint.”

A few weeks later and Kalxi was, unexpectedly, calling him.

Keith excused himself from the Blade he was talking to and picked up. “Hey, didn’t expect to hear from you so soon?” He started pulling together the words to explain he wasn’t looking for anything when Kalxi stopped that train of thought dead in its tracks with the look on his face.

“Right, well, I wasn’t sure if I should call, but I wanted to at least give you a choice in the matter if, if you wanted that is. I mean…” Kalxi cursed, cutting off his rapid fire speech. “I’m pregnant, Keith.”

The universe froze, right down to the air in Keith’s lungs. “What?”

“I know, I was just as shocked as I’m sure you are right now—“

Nothing made sense, up was down, inside was out. Kalxi was…. “You said you couldn’t!”

“I know, and that’s what I’d been _told_. I didn’t think anything would happen, Keith, I swear or I would have brought better protection. But I guess something about you being human and Galra worked and one of the eggs was fertilized.” Kalxi took a deep breath on the other end of the line, eyes closed. “I’m not ready to be parent. I don’t know if I ever will want to be, but the gestation period for the egg is only two pheobs, and I’m almost halfway through that. Once there we can extract the embryo and with the right equipment the baby can finish growing without me, but I need make the choice soon.”

Keith backed up against the wall and slid down it. “You… you don’t want…”

“No,” Kalxi said. “I don’t, but I wanted to check with you in case.” He’d opened his eyes again, face raw with honesty.

“I do.” The words were out of his mouth before he could think them through. Think about them _at all_ , really, but as he sat there and clutched the pad, Keith knew. “I want it. If you can do the next pheob I’ll take over just… I do.”

Kalxi let out a breath. “Okay. Well, I think I need to send you some things then. Paperwork and—“

“I’ll come to Tal’qan,” Keith said. “I’ll just come? That would be easier wouldn’t it?”

Kalxi shrugged. “Honestly yes, it would but… Keith, I’m not looking to coparent here. I just want to make that clear.”

Keith winced. “No, no that’s—you’re _great_ , really, but I wasn’t going there either?”

“Thank the stars,” Kalxi whispered. “I’ve never wanted to settle down so this was just, out of nowhere. I found out probably three varga ago, and I would have called you sooner but they were checking on viability of the fetus.”

Keith nodded. “Yeah, I, thank you, Kalxi. For asking. You didn’t have to, you don’t have to—“

Kalxi shrugged. “Incubating an egg for a few movements isn’t a big deal. I know for other species it can be, but it’s such a short amount of time, really, don’t worry.”

They exchanged more information about Keith coming back to the moon, Keith still reeling with the information, before they hung up. He found his mother first, and it was hard keeping a lid on the whole thing from there.

When he did get to Tal’qan, wits better about him, he asked Kalxi again why he was willing to do this for Keith, when Keith didn’t need to factor into this decision at all. He’d hedged, at first, but eventually Kalxi had answered and it nearly cut Keith in two.

“You seem lonely, and I thought this might be something you wanted. Someone permanent.”

That night, for the first time in three years, Keith cried. He sobbed into the shower, arms curled around himself as he mourned the dream that had lived in his heart for so long. There was a new dream now, someone who would need his love.

* * *

Keith never thought he would love again like he loved Shiro. Kunnia was proof that his heart was still functional, despite the ravaging it had endured. He was content with his son, with funneling his drive to protect and cherish into the small ball of energy that his progeny had become. The last four years of raising Kunnia had been amazing, even more that he had his best friend back to help. He was at peace with the way things were, and he wasn’t going to try and ruin everything by changing that.

This was breaking every resolve he had. This one moment, cast in twilight, seared into him like a brand he’d never be able to undo.

They were on the couch, movie long forgotten in lieu of a nap, Kunnia curled on Shiro’s chest, fast asleep. Shiro’s arm was around him protectively, but loosely, like it had been half asleep instinct to just hold Kunnia there.

Keith backed out of the living room and pressed himself again the kitchen wall, sliding down it to the floor. It hurt. It hurt seeing every fever fantasy played out on his couch in such vivid, causal detail.

After the divorce it had been hard to not hope. Shiro moving to Daibazaal had made it all the worse, moving into the complex next door, taking on the role of Uncle to Kunnia. All things Keith could have stopped, but he didn’t. Now Shiro was the one who came and stayed with Kunnia when Keith was on missions or late nights. Shiro was who Kunnia wanted over for dinner or to play with when Keith asked. Everything was Shiro and his son, and it was killing him. Luckily he was used to things trying to kill him.

He took three deep breaths and walked back into the living room. Shiro was snoring softly, arm reflexively tightening around Kunnia. He must had sensed something else in the room with them, curling so that Kunnia was protected. Keith forged on, ignoring how endearing it was.

“Hey,” he whispered, shaking Shiro’s shoulder. “Time for bed sleepyheads.”

Shiro snorted and jerked, eyes blinking open and squinting up. “Keith? What time is it?”

“Not that late, old man,” Keith chuckled. “Come on, I need to put this one into bed, and you’ll destroy your back if you sleep here.”

Kunnia groused and shifted on Shiro’s chest. “Daddy?”

“Yeah, c’mere little monster, time for bed,” Keith said, scooping Kunnia up out of Shiro’s embrace. Shiro’s hand lingered on Kunnia’s back until it couldn’t anymore, Keith standing up straight. It was unnatural how natural it all felt, moments like this one.

Kunnia was out in his arms in moments, a soft, deadweight Keith held close until he was tucking Kunnia into his bed, smoothing the sheets down over his little body. He wouldn’t be able to do this forever, and he was going to cherish each moment.

Shiro was stretching in the living room when he walked back out. He was still half asleep when he smiled at Keith, eyes still trying to focus. “Date ended early then?”

Keith blinked, remembering why Shiro had been watching Kunnia in the first place. “Yeah,” he muttered. “It just… wasn’t it.” He laughed mirthlessly. ‘Wasn’t it’ was an understatement. The guy had been all over him all night, handsy and suggestive in the worst ways. Four years ago it would have had Keith fucking and running but now he didn’t even have the effort, or desire, to do that. “I think I’m swearing off dating for a while.”

Shiro snorted. “I get that.” He yawned and picked up his bag. “All right, I’m going to head home before I pass out on your floor. Still on for the weekend?”

“Yeah, yeah Shiro. Thanks again.” Keith walked him out, lingering at the doorway as Shiro left. He should reach out, pull Shiro back in and kiss him stupid like he’d wanted to for years. Give in to the pull between them that was so taught it could snap at any second.

But he didn’t. He closed his door and crawled into bed.

* * *

The ringing in his ears wasn’t going away. That was usual, but it annoyed the hell out of him every time.

“Commander, where should we—?”

“In the second docking bay,” he said without looking up. The contraband they’d picked up was more than they’d assumed, which was a good thing, but offloading after the skirmish was turning into a headache. It must have shown, because a hand fell on his shoulder and squeezed.

“Go home, Keith,” Krolia said.

“I will.” He shrugged her hand off. “Just need to finish this.”

“It wasn’t a request, Little Star. Shiro’s waiting with Kunnia, go.” Her strong hands took his shoulders again and turned him toward the exit, marching him halfway there before she was convinced he’d continue.

Getting home was a hazy blur of pain finally winning out over adrenaline, and by the time he was in the door he had to lean against it for support. He thought he had his keys out to open it, but he didn’t when the door opened anyway, frowning Shiro filling it up.

“Hi,” he said weakly and winced. His head killed.

“You skipped the healing pod, didn’t you?”

That was a given. There were other Blades who needed the pods more, and he wasn’t that bad off. Just got knocked around by a couple of blasts. There might be a laser burn on his leg—oh look the floor.

“Shit!” Shiro hands grabbed him under the arms and hauled him back up. “How injured _are_ you?”

“M’not,” Keith said. His eyes kept shutting on him without his permission. “Just a little bruised—mmph.” His head lolled forward onto Shiro’s shoulder.

“Damnit Keith.” Shiro hissed.

He wasn’t small, Keith knew this. He was lithe, and mostly leg, and a lot of muscle packed into a thin frame, but he wasn’t small. Shiro was just huge. Which is why it made him feel so small when Shiro scooped him up princess style and carted him into the house. It felt nice to feel small, in Shiro’s arms. He was so strong and warm, who could blame Keith for pushing his face into Shiro’s neck and resting there. Just for a minute.

“How the fuck did you even make it home,” Shiro groused in his ear. Keith didn’t respond, he was pretty sure he wasn’t supposed to. He usually wasn’t supposed to answer those questions when Shiro was mad at him about not taking care of himself.

It should have been alarming how easily Shiro brought him to bed and stripped his uniform off. The only reason it wasn’t was because this wasn’t the first time Keith had come back in less than optimal shape. He usually wasn’t _this_ pliant though, as Shiro took him down to his underwear.

“Jesus, _Keith_.”

His eyes fluttered open and he looked. Ah, well, that was quite a bit of bruising. “Oh,” he said. His entire right side was as purple-black as his Blades suit. The laser burn on his left leg was actually three, but clustered together and already peeling. His left wrist was bruised too, a perfect ring, but he couldn’t remember why.

Shiro left for the ensuite bathroom and came back with the first aid box, ripping open a pill pack and dumping out the contents into his hand. He slid onto the bed by Keith’s head and propped him up, putting the pills into Keith’s already open mouth. Keith dry swallowed them and tried to give Shiro a look that said ‘see, I can cooperate’, but it was lost on Shiro as he pulled out one of the salves from the box and scooped a huge amount out.

He left Keith propped against his shoulder, saying something about being able to reach all the way around the bruising on his side. Keith didn’t care, it just felt nice to be close to Shiro, even if he was in pain.

By the time Shiro rolled him under the covers, everything on Keith’s body bandaged or on it’s way to healing, Keith was more or less asleep.

“Stay,” he murmured, hand reaching for Shiro.

Shiro snorted where he was sitting on the bed. “Oh I am. I don’t trust you alone like this. You never take care of yourself properly.” The bed shifted and then Shiro was laying down beside him, lights dimmed. “Sleep, Keith. I’ll be here.”

Keith slept.

* * *

“So let me get this straight.”

Keith groaned and resolutely did not look up from the meal prep he was doing for the week’s lunches.

“You live next door to each other. You spend nearly every day together in some capacity. You’re making _lunches_ for him right now. He sleeps over. You’re _co-parenting_ —“

“He just helps out.” The protest was weak and Keith knew it.

Pidge ignored him. “And you’re really going to stand there and tell me you’re _just friends_? I spent years with you two in close quarters, you cannot tell me you believe the bullshit coming out of your own mouth right now.”

Keith opened his mouth to do just that and his pad went off. It was Shiro, of course it was Shiro. He sighed and picked up. “Hey!”

“Hi, sorry, my meeting is probably going to run late. I know we said we were on for dinner but—“

“But, I can start it when you’re close to wrapping up. Just text me when you’re on your way, it’s nothing fancy tonight.” Keith glanced at the clock and reckoned Shiro wouldn’t be home until later in the evening, but with Pidge having stopped by for the afternoon it worked out that he could give Kunnia a bigger snack and make something for them too. “But don’t let them rope you into an all nigher, okay?”

“I won’t, promise. I’ll see you tonight!”

“Bye.” Keith smiled and put the pad down only to see Pidge’s shit eating grin. “Shut up.”

“You are _married_.”

“Shut. Up.”

Pidge threw their hands up. “Seriously! Just grow some goddamn balls already and kiss him! He’s head over heels in love with you too, you know.”

Keith scooped up the packed lunches and started placing them into the refrigerator, ignoring Pidge.

“And Kunnia can keep calling him Uncle until he thinks of something else to call Shiro.” When Keith didn’t respond to this either Pidge went in for the kill. “Unless there’s something Kunnia already wants to call him.” He tried to hide the way his arm jerked when they said it, but he couldn’t. Not from Pidge. “Oh my _god_. This hurts. I am in physical fucking pain over this.”

Keith closed the refrigerator and leaned his head against it. “Most of the Blades already call him Kunnia’s dad. Kunnia’s heard it from them a lot. He asked me last week why he couldn’t call Shiro Papa.”

“Why can’t he, Keith?” Pidge asked softly. “What’s the hang up here, really?”

He pushed off the fridge and sat down across from Pidge at the kitchen island. Shiro was here too, his mug from the night before still sitting to the side of the island, tea dregs in the bottom. Keith knew if he looked up he’d see Shiro’s cardigan over the back of a dining room chair. It was the one he kept here because Keith ‘kept the thermostat on arctic tundra’. There was the toothbrush in the bathroom, the charging station for his pad in the guest room, even the snack crackers he liked were well stocked in Keith’s cupboard. That was because anymore they usually went grocery shopping together, since Shiro ate here more than his sparse bachelor pad next door.

“I don’t know,” Keith said. He grabbed Shiro’s mug for something to do with his hands and got up to rinse it out. “It’s been like this for so long, I don’t know what changing it would look like. I don’t know if I know how to.”

“Do you want to?” Pidge asked. It wasn’t accusatory, but it still stung.

Keith swished the soap out of the mug and grabbed a towel to dry it off. “Yes.” He set the mug next to the kettle, knowing Shiro would want another cup when he got off work. “I want him here, with us. I keep going to ask him to move in, just stay here already, but I feel like it could shift the balance of things too much.”

“But isn’t that what you both need?”

Keith sat back down and played with the end of his braid. “Yeah. But I’m scared Pidge. I can’t lose him again, and neither can Kunnia. If something goes wrong this time I don’t know how I’ll survive it, let alone help my kid through it.”

Pidge hummed. “I get that. But Keith.” They reached out and took his hand. “I don’t think Shiro is going anywhere, not this time.”

“Daddy?”

Keith looked up from Pidge to Kunnia standing at the edge the kitchen, toy cruiser in hand. “What’s up little monster?”

Kunnia fidgeted, eyes darting between Keith and Pidge. “I’m hungry.”

Keith smiled. “Snack time already? What do you want?”

“Cookies!” Kunnia crowed.

Across the island Pidge raised an eyebrow at Keith. He ignored it and addressed his sugar crazed kid. “How about some talxi fruit, and maybe some peanut butter? Uncle Shiro brought back that big jar of the crunchy stuff.”

Kunnia’s eyes went big. “Crunchy stuff!” He hollered, dropping his cruiser. He toddled into the kitchen and Keith plopped him into a chair at the island. “Do you like the crunchy stuff Pidgey? Uncle Shiro doesn’t, he said it’s weird. But I think he’s weird, because the crunchy stuff is the best stuff.”

Pidge was doing their best not to laugh. “I like the smooth stuff too, kiddo. But crunchy isn’t bad.”

“You’re weird too,” Kunnia said matter of factly. “Crunchy.”

“Kunnia, be nice.” Keith chided.

“It’s okay Kunnia,” Pidge said, leaning close to him. “I like being weird. Better than being a dumb-dumb like your Dad.”

Keith sputtered and nearly dropped the peanut butter jar. “That’s uncalled for.”

“Totally called for.” Pidge grinned at Kunnia. “Right kiddo?”

“Daddy, I’m hungry,” Kunnia wailed, tipping his head back dramatically. “I’m gonna die I’m so hungry.”

“You are not,” Keith said, rolling his eyes. “I can’t believe you’re starving, you had almost two sandwiches at lunch.”

Kunnia stayed tipped back, sagging pathetically. “Uhgggg.”

“He’s dying Keith, come on.” Pidge flopped onto the island, hands outstreched toward Kunnia. “You’re killing him Keith, he’s _wasting away_!”

“Daaaaaaaaad!”

Keith scooped out a heap of peanut butter onto a plate. “This is why you’re not allowed to babysit, Pidge.”

“Oh like Shiro doesn’t indulge him every five seconds you’re gone,” Pidge quipped.

Kunnia perked at the name, back coming out of the terrifying bend it had been in. “Uncle Shiro! When is he coming over Daddy?”

“After work, Kunnia. He’s got to stay a little later tonight so we’re going to have to be patient, okay?” Keith set the peanut butter and crackers in front of his gleeful son. Hopefully he’d be as excited about the fruit once it was cut up.

“Crunchy!” Kunnia declared, half chewed cracker and peanut butter in his mouth.

“We eat with our mouth closed, please,” Keith said wearily. This was one of the current ongoing battles at mealtime. The other was not pretending to stalk and kill every morsel of food on his plate like the Great Hunter Utylax. Keith still hadn’t forgiven Kolivan for sharing _that_ traditional Galra bedtime story. “You want something to eat, Pidge?”

“I could go for some fruit,” they said with a shrug. “Really craving some resolution though, you know, between you and a certain—“

“I am never inviting you over again.” Keith said quickly, eyes darting to Kunnia.

He was oblivious, munching happily on his snack.

* * *

Somehow, despite still being pretty puny, Kunnia was with it enough to whine about cookies until Shiro caved and let him have one with some of the liquids he needed to drink before bed. Keith didn’t try and stop it, he was too relieved that Kunnia was going to be okay to worry about an extra cookie.

Shiro scooped the boy up when he started to droop a the table and took him to bed, pressing a chaste kiss to Keith’s cheek as he went.

He stood in utter shock in the kitchen for a full minute. His brain still hadn’t fully processed what had happened at the hospital. Shiro was in love with him. Shiro was going to move in with them. Keith bit his lip and looked down the hall where light spilled from Kunnia’s room. He could hear Shiro putting him to bed, their voices muffled through the walls. Keith wandered toward the sound, drifting like it was a dream.

In Kunnia’s bedroom, Shiro was knelt by the bed, smoothing Kunnia’s hair back off his forehead.

“Go to sleep, you’ll feel better in the morning. And I promise we can play video games if your dad thinks you’re up to it,” Shiro said.

“You can say it’s okay,” Kunnia whispered. “You’re Papa now, aren’t you?”

Shiro’s breath caught audibly. “Yeah, yeah I think I am. Still.” Shiro leaned forward and kissed Kunnia’s forehead. “We’ll talk about it tomorrow. Sweet dreams.”

“G’night Papa. I love you.”

Shiro stood, exhaling shakily. “I love you too, Kunnia.” He caught sight of Keith and a flush crawled up over his neck and cheeks.

Keith walked into the room past Shiro and gave Kunnia a kiss goodnight too, his hand resting on his son’s chest for a moment, just to feel him breathing easy. Kunnia grumbled and shook him off.

“Goodnight Little Monster,” Keith whispered. He herded Shiro out of the room and into his—theirs?—god this was all so much at once.

The wolf was curled in front of the bed, but he got up and trotted to Kunnia’s room with a jerk of Keith’s head. He’d get Keith if anything went wrong in the night.

Shiro looked lost standing next to the bed, like he didn’t already have a preferred side. Or that the charger for his pad wasn’t plugged in on said side from him crashing with Keith just a week before. Keith decided on the spot that he was too tired and drained for another crisis of emotion and went to brush his teeth.

After a beat Shiro followed him into the bathroom and went about his own pre-bed routine. He borrowed Keith’s moisturizer, like he usually did, and after a moment of consideration, threw his dirty clothes in the hamper with Keith’s.

They curled in bed facing each other, lights still on low.

“This is weird,” Shiro said.

Keith shifted and punched his pillow a few times. “It is. But I think it’s weird because it _isn’t_ weird. Like, at all.”

“Fuck. I mean, you’re right. It’s just… weird that it’s okay. It’s weird that I don’t have to try and map out this moment, just in case.” Shiro reached out across the space and wrapped his hand around Keith’s wrist, thumb brushing against his pulse point. “Moving out of the apartment is going to be a pain.”

“It’s not like it’s far to go,” Keith said. “We’re literally next door to your complex.”

“Yeah but breaking the lease is a headache. And I have to get it approved by the Garrison and all of that other shit.” Shiro wiggled closer, one of his feet pressing against Keith’s shin.

Keith swallowed thickly. “You saying you’re not sure now?”

“No!” Shiro frowned and scooted even closer, barely on his own pillow anymore. “No, I’m just thinking out loud about what’s got to get done. That’s all.” He shifted again and tugged on Keith’s wrist. “Come here, please?”

“You come here, you’re already most of the way there. He laughed, watching Shiro roll his eyes and shift fully into Keith’s space.

“You’re such a brat,” he said and wrapped his arm around Keith, pulling him close. “Everyone is going to lose it.”

“I almost don’t want to tell them,” Keith mumbled into Shiro’s chest. “They’re going to be obnoxious about it.”

“We could keep it a secret.” Shiro pressed his nose into Keith’s hair, kissed him there. “Just let them suffer for a little bit. Especially after all the hell they gave us.”

“You too, huh?” Keith let his hand trail over Shiro’s side and spread over his back, feeling the muscles and scars there.

“Oh yeah. Mostly from Lance, actually. Matt too sometimes. And god Pidge—“

“Pidge is a fucking menace and they deserve to know _last_.” Keith nuzzled his head into Shiro’s chest until he was comfortable. “Lights off,” he told the house system. They plunged into darkness. Shiro’s leg shifted under the covers, little halting movements, worming its way around Keith’s. “What are you doing?”

“Seeing if you grew those balls they told you to.”

Keith jerked back and grabbed his pillow, bashing it into Shiro’s face. “You are so fucking dead.”

“Augh! Hey!” Shiro took his pillow and smacked Keith with it. “I can’t be curious? In bed with the famous Space Casanova and his intrepid equipment!”

Keith ducked and bashed his into Shiro’s face, knocking him back. “You’re so lame. So, so lame.”

“You like it.” Shiro dropped the pillow and latched onto Keith’s wrists, yanking him down on top of Shiro with a yelp. “You can’t hide the truth from me.”

“I like _you_ ,” Keith said. He halfhearted tried to break Shiro’s grip and gave up, collapsing fully on him, satisfied when Shiro huffed with the force of it. “Doesn’t mean I have to like your antics.”

“Hush.” Shiro let go of Keith’s arms and wrapped him up in a tight embrace. “I’m tired.”

“Then sleep,” Keith said. He shifted a bit so they were closer to the comfortable embrace they’d been in before.

“But we can fuck now.” Shiro whined. “We can do it if we wanted to.”

Keith rubbed his hand over Shiro’s stomach. “Yeah, but we’re old, and spent most of the night at the hospital with a sick kid. I want to sleep.”

“Me too,” Shiro said. “I feel stupid for wanting to.”

Keith turned his head into Shiro’s neck and pressed a hard kiss there. “We can later. We’ve got time now.”

“Hmm, yeah. Hey, Keith?”

“What?”

“I love you.”

“I love you too, Takashi.”


End file.
